The participation of CNR in the Madonna di Pietranico restoration project was not limited to the creation of the 3D models of the fragments and of the reconstructed statue for documentation purposes. The goal was more challenging - to analyze and develop new methods to assist the work of art historians and restorers in the various phases throughout the process of analysis of the condition of the statue and during the restoration work. The 3D model played a pivotal role in achieving these objectives and was often a key element in an individual phase. It was used to compare hypotheses for the reconstruction of the various fragments, to create a virtual re-composed statue from re-assembled fragments and even to analyze hypotheses on the original coloring.